In terms of college football, Wisconsin may have lost to Ohio State Saturday 13 to 31, but in terms of statewide assets, Wisconsin wins by a landslide. A trip to Madison this past weekend has revealed a giant void in my life that can only be summed up in one word: cheese. In Wisconsin, milk and its byproducts characterize the state just as 1,050 miles of Great Lakes and Mississippi River shorelines distinctly define it geographically.
A small block of 10-year-old yellow cheddar that I unsuspectingly purchased for a whopping $25 turned out to be the sale of a lifetime. There's something about the sharp, salty, bold taste of real cheddar cheese that makes you sit back and think about how much you've been missing out on your whole life by eating Kraft American cheese singles. It doesn't knock you off your feet in the way that a mere waft of blue cheese does but does change your perspective on life for the fleeting seconds you spend munching on it. Wisconsin is also known for its cheese curds, which are little nuggets of heaven that make a peculiar squeaking noise when you chew them.They have a strange, rubbery texture that results from the way they are made: when an acidic substance is added to the milk, the proteins in the milk begin to tangle and form masses. Sounds like a tasty accident to me.
Cheese curd is just one of many products that make Wisconsin the No. 1 cheese producer in the nation.2.5 billion pounds are produced every year in the state. I don't really think you could ask for much more than that. Parmesan is another favorite cheese, although not unique to Wisconsin. It's an especially fine example of a cheese that gets tastier, and markedly more expensive, as it ages.
Italian banks have started using Parmesan cheese as collateral on loans for cheese makers. One bank in particular, Credito Emiliano, has been accepting cheese as payment since 1953. The price of Parmesan is steadier and more reliable than a gold standard and has resulted in a two special climate-controlled warehouse for the bank to store its 440,000 wheels worth €132 million ($187 million).
The immense value we've placed on food shouldn't be described only in terms of dollar amounts or pounds of production. It's more about the emotional connection we have when we connect a certain taste to a moment or feeling; something that makes mashed potatoes remind me of my grandma's house, and garlic reminds me of a family tradition. And from now on, sharp, 10-year-old cheddar cheese will bring me back to the great state of Wisconsin.
